Soul Eater: Saeculum
by CertainDestiny
Summary: A collection of oneshots and/or short stories that provide more detail to the events and characters pertaining to Soul Eater: Troubled Souls and Soul Eater Zeta.
1. Fate

Hello, and welcome to _Soul Eater: Saeculum_, a tie-into _Soul Eater Zeta_ and _Soul Eater: Troubled Souls_. Before I say anything else, there are some things that need to be mentioned:

**Setting:** This is a collection of short stories and one-shots based off the aforementioned stories. Them and this collection are collectively named the "Novus Ordo Mundi saga." If you haven't read either of the stories, none of this is really going to make much sense to you.

**Forewarning: **This story does contain OCs (original characters), or at least some of the stories within it will. Again, you would know this if you had read my other works. Thus, there shouldn't be any surprise or outrage for this story having OCs in it. Other warnings include possible language and violence.

**Structure: **Each entry will denote where the one-shot or short story takes place and which story canon it is involved in. Most will be canon to the saga, but I will say if it isn't. This story does not have an 'end' planned. It will be added to again and again, usually because there is something in either story that doesn't match the current flow but needs to be told.

**Disclaimer: **Soul Eater is copyrighted to Atsushi Okubo and all other third parties (characters, series, and concepts).

And there you have it. So let's begin and enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Category:<strong> Canon  
><strong>Setting:<strong> Soul Eater: Troubled Souls  
><strong>Chronology:<strong> Chapter 22 – When the Ardsens are explaining their past

* * *

><p><em>"Son, these are the tricks of the trade on how to conduct a deal."<em>

He wanted to learn how to be a lawyer instead.

_"Sweetie, I've already contacted your coach. Your father says this is more important."_

The team lost the basketball game, and their shot at the championship, because he didn't go to practice that day.

_"Soon enough, Mr. Ardsen, I'll be speaking to you across from that desk. You are the next don of the Chicago Gang, and we are you left- and right-hand men."_

He didn't care about any of that.

Of all the teenagers in the world, why did fate impose this nightmare upon him?

...

...

...

Marcellus hated weekends.

He also hated weekend nights.

Firstly, weekends meant he was stuck inside Chicago Gang territory. He was trapped inside the very region of the city he didn't want to be in. The large district stationed near the Port of Chicago felt like a cage to him – or, rather, a prison. As the son of Don Portis, and therefore the next heir to the gang's chair, everyone wanted to see how he carried himself. Ergo, he felt that people were constantly watching his every move. Marcellus already despised the underground lifestyle, but it seemed that was all he had. That, and the threat of boredom was a possibility.

And, secondly, weekend nights were the most active in both a good and a bad sense. Good in that half of the Chicago Gang was probably out conducting business, and his mother and father – Portis and Morgan – were doing husband-and-wife matters. Bad in that the Other Side Gang was doing the same. Hence why Marcellus was stuck here. The last thing he wanted was to step outside his gang's boundaries and wind up face-to-face with Other Side gangsters wanting to kill him.

Most people living normal lives would say Marcellus was crazy for cherishing school days. They didn't realize – well, he never told them; they were called personal issues for a reason – that those times were great reprieves from his gang life. He learned things he actually wanted to learn about. Talking with some friends at school was how he learned about his favorite game series _Mega Man_, how he got into anime and manga, and how to play basketball. School was a safe haven practically.

Living in fear of your life with nowhere to go and no way out. That was the life of Chicago Underground Association's Marcellus Ardsen.

_"Don't I just have it good?"_ He thought bitterly, coming to a stop near the corner of a warehouse.

The mid-October wind was chilly. Marcellus was grateful he was dressed for the Saturday night weather. He had on a thick, grey, unzipped hoodie, exposing the lighter, white jacket beneath it. Black denim jeans and white camp walker, high-top shoes finished his ensemble. With a heavy sigh, he flipped off his hood, rested his back against the wall, and slid down it until he was sitting on the ground.

He heard faraway machines creaking with life. He deduced that to be both construction work and the new factory that was added to territory some months ago. They were probably producing new products to sell on the black market since the Chicago Gang was famous, or infamous, for exporting and smuggling tech. To be honest, it was actually quite soothing. Marcellus felt that he could fall asleep here since he had virtually nothing else to do.

However, the minute he closed his eyes, he heard a soft plop right beside him. He lazily cracked open one of his eyes to examine his new company. To his surprise, it was a little girl. What stood out the most was her purple hair that could have been seen from miles away. It hung in front of his face unkemptly, matching the dingy, loose clothes she wore – a robe, pants, and simple slip-on shoes. Randomly, she had a small bag in her hand that she laid right beside her.

"You tired too?" Marcellus asked, leaning back against the wall. He assumed she was a newcomer to the gang. Uncommon, but he had heard of recruits as young as thirteen enter gangs.

"Be quiet." The girl replied brusquely, bringing her knees to her chest and hugging them, assuming a fetal position.

"Well then." Marcellus yawned, unperturbed by her quiet but sharp tone. "Come around here often?"

"I said be quiet. Leave me alone." The girl retorted, turning her head to glare at the older person. Her head was dropped in a manner so that her hair covered and shaded her eyes. Well, partially. Marcellus could see a sole magenta eye among the forelocks, devoid of emotion or verve. "Just let time pass, okay?"

Marcellus felt like he was looking in a mirror.

For that reason and that reason alone, the gang prince had the inexplicable need to communicate with this young lass. "You have it rough too, huh?" He asked, angling his head toward her. His brownish-orange hair unintentionally produced the same effect as hers, highlighting his slate blue eyes and conveying the deep anguish resting inside his soul.

The girl averted her eyes. "Tch. I wonder what gave that away."

"People content with themselves don't go around resting on the sides of buildings." Marcellus replied matter-of-factly.

"Oh, really?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Name's Marcellus Ardsen." The next-in-line gang leader introduced himself, shifting his head forward again. Since she didn't want to look at him, there was no point in him facing her.

"Nayumi. Not giving you my surname."

"So what's your life story?" He asked. He wondered if this were the part where older adults would light cigarettes as they endlessly rambled about each other's problems. It certainly seemed like that type of scenario to him. After all, Marcellus had nothing else to do. Neither did Nayumi, it appeared.

"Since when did we get so buddy-buddy?" Nayumi asked. Her voice actually dropped in volume, not rise with agitation as expected. It sounded like someone who was tired of everything.

"I don't know," Marcellus shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "I was just asking." Around this time, his temporary spark of interest in Nayumi was beginning to wane. Now, he was becoming increasingly more content with letting silence linger between then like he usually would. Another yawn escaped him as he adjusted himself. There wasn't much comfort in sitting up against hard concrete and brick, but Marcellus didn't feel like moving. Apparently neither did Nayumi because she had not really moved herself.

For a good few minutes, the only noises around were the breeze and distant construction work. It was so peaceful that Marcellus almost dozed off several times Though, he wanted to go all the way, not wake up a second before sleep welcomed him. Just then, he heard a heavy jingling sound as something hit the ground. Curiously, he looked back to Nayumi and saw that her small bag had fallen out of her grasp. She was nodding off like he was.

He was ready to dismiss it all until he perceived a bright flash of gold coming from inside the bag. Leaning over, he opened it up and was greeted with an assortment of gold, sterling silver, and jewelry. Marcellus released a low, impressed whistle, knowing that this was quite a bit of money.

"Hands off!"

His whistle had alerted Nayumi. When he looked up, the girl had transformed one of her hands into an oversized hammerhead. Marcellus's eyes dilated in fear as he retracted his hands and held them up, showing no signs of hostility. With her normal hand, Nayumi snatched up her bag from the ground.

"Be careful around here with that," Marcellus cautioned, standing up. His sore body instantly felt relief. "This is gang territory. Any kid here who finds out you're carrying all that wealth won't hesitate to beat you senseless to get it."

"Don't worry about me." Nayumi replied indignantly. A purple glow encompassed the hammerhead as it morphed back into a human hand. "I already took care of one punk. So, I think I'll be okay."

Marcellus stared at her in disbelief, blinking, "Wait. You stole that?"

"Do I look like someone who can afford this?" Nayumi deadpanned.

"Touché." Then, something dawned upon the African-American. "…Where did you steal that from?"

"From here." The Canadian girl replied shamelessly.

Marcellus's jaw nearly fell off his face. It was bad enough she was hauling around that much gold, silver, and jewelry; someone might as well put a sign above her head announcing that for gangsters to see. Now, the situation was even worse knowing that this girl, Nayumi, had robbed the Chicago Underground Association. Someone was bound to find out if her claims of dealing with a gangster prior to the theft were true.

"W-Why did you do that?!" Marcellus chastised. The last thing he wanted on his conscience was the gang taking this girl inside a shed and emptying magnums on her. "Do you know what you've gotten yourself into?!"

"Well, I have to support myself somehow!" Nayumi growled, very agitated and feeling as if this boy was lecturing her. "And, for the record, I honestly don't care. What matters is that I got the goods."

"But can you escape though?" Marcellus sighed, hoping to put some sense into this young girl, "In case you hadn't realized, you're deep into the Chicago Gang's territory."

Her frustration with this boy was getting higher and higher. However, since he wanted to be so talkative, it was time to play a sort of game with him. "OK then, Mr. Smart Guy, how do I get out of here?" She asked, smirking tauntingly at Marcellus.

"Oh, no, no," Marcellus held up his hands, "You got yourself in here, so get yourself out."

"If you think that way, why were you so concerned about me earlier?"

Marcellus felt himself involuntarily cringed. That was a heavy blow he had to endure. He was trying to reel this girl in and get his point across, but he wound up tripping over his own thread. Though, he had to give credit where credit was due – this girl had the practical smarts to survive the streets.

He sighed again. Marcellus wondered if he was unconsciously trying to break the world record for most sighs, well, sighed in an hour. "Well… I'm the next don in line for Chicago Gang, so basically, you've told me all the info I need to persecute you. But I don't want that; you're just trying to get by. Plus… well, I hate my position."

Nayumi quirked a bow, "Why's that?"

"The gang lifestyle…" Marcellus said contemplatively, looking up the night sky as he leaned back against the wall of the warehouse, "I don't like it. Way too much violence. Too much anarchy. A microcosm like this seems…diseased. It doesn't help that my parents, especially my dad, are pushing this role on me a little too hard. I hate it. I hate it all." He clenched his fists and grounded his teeth, beginning to pull at his hair in an attempt to vent out his frustration. "This whole situation has made me_¬hate_ even little insignificant things that shouldn't bother me. I hate that I'm telling a total stranger all about this like you're some therapist! Everything PISSES ME OFF!"

He slammed his fist on the wall behind him, panting heavily after he finished speaking. The normally calm and cool Marcellus was getting angry. His adrenaline was started to run from the hatred coursing through him. The more he thought about it, about how he lacked the guts to do something about his situation and how uncaring his parents were, the worse he felt. With a long, heavy sigh, Marcellus slumped to the ground, hanging his head low. How miserable and pathetic he must look, he thought.

"Everything is just so pointless, isn't it?"

Marcellus slowly lifted his head to see Nayumi standing before him. She was grinning. The boy unconsciously pressed his back against the wall. Between how her hair draped over her face, how dull her eyes were, and how terrifyingly off her serenity was, Marcellus was genuinely creeped out by this girl. "W-what are you talking about?"

"Life is just so wrong," Nayumi continued, her expression never changing, "We are told we have freedom, yet we really don't. People like you and me are trapped, just a bunch of puppets for other people to pull on our strings. At the same time, we are bounded by our affiliations. You really think the law cares if we hate being thieves or gangsters? Nope." Nayumi approached Marcellus, straddling his lap as she caressed his cheek. It appeared her words were getting to him; he had a hard time looking at her as he ruminated on the weight of her words.

"We're nothing but criminals to be put behind bars. There's no such thing as true justice. We may be victims of circumstances, but we aren't going beyond that. The rest of our pointless lives were determined at birth. Oh, we can try, but in the end, it's futile. Makes me wonder why did I even bother running away in the first place… Maybe fate wanted to experiment how long a lone little girl could survive before she perished." Her grin widened as Marcellus shivered, "And maybe it wanted to see how long before you'll cave into the pressure of your role."

This little girl had an amazingly good head on her shoulders to come up with stuff like that. Even though it wasn't related to her monologue, Marcellus just had to ask, "H-how old are you?"

"Twelve."

_"Jesus Christ…"_ Here he was, talking to a twelve-year-old who apparently was a skilled jewel thief who went around preaching nihilism. "Well, I'm fifteen." And, yet, he knew way too much about the underground world and other adult subjects. "What… happened to you? Why are you like this?"

Nayumi's grin slowly faded into oblivion, her head hung as her hair shadowed her face. "I wanted to be normal. No, I had to help steal every day. I wanted to play games and have friends. No, I had to spend time with my parents learning how to infiltrate. I didn't want those kinds of responsibilities. No, they said it was my destiny forevermore." She sat up, placing tight fists on her lap. "I hope they rot in their jail cells… I hope their spirits never rest… Why do you think I never told you my last name? I don't ever want to be associated with those bastards! I hope Satan has many punishments for them in Hell!" She clenched her fists even tighter, the knuckles turning white as she tried to keep her emotions in check, "But whatever… Nothing matters."

Marcellus just stared at the young girl. He could totally relate to her. Both of them hated their parents, despised their professions, and were forced to grow up at young and tender ages. The more and more he talked with Nayumi, the more he realized how _miserable_ they were. "If nothing matters…" He cupped Nayumi's chin and forced her to look at him, "Then why are you crying?"

True enough, tears were streaming down Nayumi's dull, unhappy eyes. Tears were symbols of emotion – proof that someone cared about something or someone else. They spoke more words than any sort of action. "You obviously cared enough to at least try and take care of yourself. If you ask me, that's pretty admirable. I can't even muster enough courage to steal anything…"

"So, if you hate it here, why stay? It's just causing you pain." Nayumi questioned, reaching up to grab his hand with both of hers. By now, she was significantly less hostile to Marcellus. Plus, he made her realize that she was going against the very nihilistic ideals she just talked about. Marcellus opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was another sigh as he looked down, unable to give a valid reason other than one of powerlessness. Nayumi closed her eyes, standing up as she continued holding his hand, "Come on. We're leaving."

Marcellus's head snapped up, "What!?"

"You're running away with me," Nayumi declared with finality.

Marcellus couldn't honestly say he hadn't thought about leaving the gang. The problem was the bedlam that awaited after his actions. His mother would be heartbroken, his dad would be furious, and the other gang members would be shocked and appalled. He would forever be a fugitive to the Chicago Gang. Then, there was the Other Side Gang that knew full well who he was.

"Come on. You can't tell me you really care about this place after what you've told me." Nayumi urged, tugging on his arm.

She made a convincing argument. Maybe him running away was the scare Morgan and Portis needed to snap out of it. Perhaps he wouldn't be such a ball of restrained anguish and misery. Most optimistically, he might be able to live a new life away from this place. With one last sigh, Marcellus finally stood up, grasping Nayumi's hand more firmly.

"You can have my last name. It's Ardsen in case you didn't get it the first time." Marcellus informed her, remembering how adamantly Nayumi refused to tell him her family name. "You're with me from now on. That stuff you stole is pretty valuable. It'll last until we figure something out."

Nayumi gave him a small smile, a genuine one. "We'll make a way."

Marcellus couldn't help but smile back, a pure one of his own. "Let's go."

The Chicago Gang never realized Marcellus was gone until it was too late. He and Nayumi were on the other side of the city by then. That would require crossing into Other Side Gang territory, and the resulting bloodshed would severely cripple the Chicago Gang's resources. Marcellus and Nayumi were able to avoid confrontation by picking the appropriate paths using the former's intensive knowledge of the city.

Nonetheless, the Chicago Gang continued to waste their time sending search party after search party. Two hours had elapsed, and it started to pour rain. Activity was mitigated by the appearance of Mother Nature. Less and less people were out, the slick roads discouraged drivers, and the once-bright streetlights were dulled by the white rain.

"I got them!" Nayumi announced as she threw herself out of an open vent on the side of a department store. After she landed, she tossed Marcellus a heavy rain coat while she garbed herself in a hooded poncho. As much as she hated using her thievery skills, she had to make an exception this time or else they would have froze to death in the cold rain.

"Thank you." Marcellus replied gratefully as he slipped it on.

"Now what?" Nayumi asked as she and him exited the alley, walking along the sideway. Their footsteps splashed against the puddles forming on the concrete and asphalt.

"It's probably best to pawn that stuff." Marcellus answered, referring to sack of gold, silver, and jewelry Nayumi kept in her possession, "It isn't fair, but without money, we're at a dead end."

"I guess so."

If Marcellus was right, the nearest pawn shop was ten minutes away by vehicle. Both he and Nayumi had no intention of walking the entire way in this downpour. The two tried their best to flag down a taxi or someone kind enough to provide a free ride. However, everyone seemed unconcerned of their plight. Their hopes were gradually dying away with each passing car.

Then, they saw a cab approaching them. Their hopes were restored as they waved the vehicle down, and it continued to slow down.

But it was decelerating for the pothole in the road. It hit it, causing the water to splash on Marcellus and Nayumi, and kept on going.

An audible snarl escaped Nayumi's lips. If that cab had stopped, she would have smashed its window with her partial transformation. Even Marcellus saw that to be needlessly rude of the cab driver. The two exhaled sharply in unison as they sat on the edge of sidewalk, unable to do anything else.

Nayumi scooted closer to Marcellus, hooking her arms around one of his, "Marcellus. I'm cold…"

Marcellus placed a hand on hers, trying to be comforting, "Tough it out… like you said, we'll make a way…"

"Do you need some help?"

Marcellus and Nayumi looked up. There stood a man with orange and black hair, staring down at them with his only visible eye. He was carrying a black umbrella that shielded him from the rain. His car was parked nearby, and they saw two others peering at them through the windshield.

The man nodded in the direction of his car. "Come on. You two will catch pneumonia out here." He said. Here was someone gracious enough to lend a hand, someone who cared enough about their well-being. Hope refilling their hearts, Marcellus and Nayumi stood up and went with him into the car.

"My name's Noel Isaac Ricardsen." The man introduced himself once everyone was in the car. "These are my children, Tsuji and Rowena."

The young teenagers all locked eyes. Right then and there, the strands of fate were beginning to intertwine. These four's future would forever involve each other. The Ardsens and the Ricardsens.

Future partners at the DWMA.


	2. The Day Before

**Disclaimer: **Soul Eater is copyrighted to Atsushi Okubo and all other third parties (characters, series, and concepts).

**Author Notes:** During this entry's flashback, please assume everyone is speaking in Russian.

* * *

><p><strong>Category:<strong> Canon  
><strong>Setting:<strong> Soul Eater: Troubled Souls  
><strong>Chronology:<strong> Chapter 21 – The beginning when Caius is examining the scrapbook

* * *

><p>"This is the last I have of them…"<p>

Caius turned more pages of his scrapbook, reaching the individual ones dedicated to each member of his immediate family. Their included ages were two years younger than in reality, given that the book hadn't been updated since the massacre.

The left-hand page showed one of his sisters, Chloe. She was sixteen-years-old with long deep sky blue hair tied in a waist-length pony tail by a yellow bow-and-ribbon combo, white eyes very similar to Caius's, and red-framed glasses. Chloe was probably a bigger scholar than Caius himself. As she was one who got bored quite easily, she was always up for new tasks and doing self-imposed challenges, and usually took things in stride.

The right-hand page showed his only brother, Remus. He was eighteen-years-old with short electric blue hair and a fringe, a perma stubble, and blaze red eyes. Remus was very mischievous; the high number of pranks he pulled, most of which Caius partook in, could attest to that. Almost contradictorily, he was mostly serious yet sardonic on a normal basis, and his cooking was delicious.

Caius flipped again to reveal the final, oldest sibling, Phyllis. She was a twenty-year-old young woman with somewhat messy, pale blue hair adorned by a headband and grey eyes. Caius felt that he was the most attached to Phyllis out of all of his siblings, not to say he didn't love Chloe and Remus. They did the most things together, and Phyllis was always the sort 'role model' type of person.

Then, Caius reached the two pages that featured his parents, both of whom were 37-years-old. His mom, Rukia, bore thick and long, Air Force blue hair and slate grey eyes. His dad, Amagai, had short, wavy dark blue hair, pale white eyes, and a full beard. These two were the people who put Caius and his siblings on the right path, the straight and narrow. Caius had especial respect for his goofy and loving father, the one he idolized as a meister.

Caius sighed as he glanced out of the window beside him, watching the peaceful morning sun and sky. These were the only times he was able to have a semblance of communication with his deceased family, or some of the other Vladinghams that happened to be featured in the book. He did feel better after opening up to Claudia, Maka, and Soul. He even gained the courage to talk to Claude and Diana about everything. But, they were called 'personal issues' for a reason. The reality was that they could only fill the void so much.

Caius closed his eyes and sighed, recalling the day before the nightmare. February 1st was a day of preparation over in Rozniak, Russia because February 2nd was formerly known as the 'Gathering Day.' Vladinghams from all over the world came to Rozniak for a sort of mass reunion where friends and families mingled. It was also the day to celebrate the achievements of graduates—from the DWMA or otherwise. His brother Remus was one of said graduates.

_"And, of course, I remember it all like it was yesterday."_

* * *

><p>As always, the Russian climate was cold and snowy, and town of Rozniak wasn't an exception. Both the thick, grey clouds above and the neighboring mountains contributed to that. Rozniak was blanketed in a thick sheet of white, snow sifting all across the landscape. Both normal citizens and town government-authorized vehicles shoveled and pushed snow out of the way of streets so as to not impede any travel. The streets coated in a patina of ice were being properly taken care of. Everyone was wearing weather-appropriate attire as they went about their daily business.<p>

"Pass the ball!"

"Go for it!"

"Come on, we're down by three! We gotta win!"

That included a group of young teenagers playing basketball at the court on the outskirts of town. Teams were divided evenly into eight players of either gender on each side. Naturally, they all also were garbed in coats of various kinds and colors. Scraping and squeaking sounds, along with the dribbling of a basketball, were heard as the youngsters constantly shifted around, playing the game of basketball as it was supposed to be.

_Swish!_

The ball flew inside the basket, shot from a perfect arc, as some of the teenagers cheered and jumped around while others groaned and threw their hands up in defeat.

"That's ballgame. Who wants to go again?" A thirteen-year-old boy asked cockily, snatching the basketball up from the ground and spinning it on a finger. His light grey hair was messy and littered with snow, something that made a few of the others snicker in amusement. "What?" He blinked in confusion, apparently not aware that snow had accumulated in his hair.

A fourteen-year-old girl with white, lavender-tinted hair walked up to him and lightly patted his hair, removing most of the snow. "That, Vyoma."

Vyoma flustered a little and shot the girl a tart glare as most of the others laughed humouredly, "Yeah, thanks, Marina." He replied sarcastically.

"Humorous that may be, my team is itching for a rematch," a fourteen-year-old, bespectacled boy piped in matter-of-factly as he crossed his arms. A winter breeze swept by, causing the twin tails of his coat to billow, "So, let's cut the chatter out and start it up." His teammates all smirked and cheered as they got into position, raring to go.

"Fine then, Caius," Vyoma said as he stepped out of the bounds as Caius approached him, staying on the other side of the line, "Just remember that you asked for it."

"Actually, that's going to have to be the last game."

The young teenagers all whined in disappointment as a few older individuals approached basketball court, ranging from elder siblings to their parents. They knew that these little ones gathered here every weekend to play so finding them was not an issue. After exchanging their sneakers for regular snow boots, the teenagers and adolescents all said their goodbyes and good games, vowing to continue next time.

"Marina, Vyoma, you're coming with me and Caius," Chloe stated as Caius stood by his older sister's side. The two nodded, and the group proceeded to walk away. Marina and Vyoma were Vladinghams like Chloe and Caius and lived in the same village as they did, hence why they were so close. In the case of Caius and Vyoma, it helped that their parents – Amagai, Rukia, and Vladimir – had went to school together.

"Sestra, is everything ready in the village?" Caius asked after some time. They were currently walking along the sidewalk parallel to the relatively empty street and the snowy ground. This side of Rozniak was low in population density. Most people tended to live on the other side where the hospital, international airport, and DWMA base were. Then again, that wasn't saying much; Rozniak was still considered just a town after all.

"Preparations are almost done." Chloe replied. She was referring to the Gathering Day of course. The village these four lived in – aptly called the Vladingham Village – was where the celebration was always held even though not everyone lived there. This place in particular was selected because it was considered the ancestral grounds of the Vladingham Family. "I'm sure the three of you will like what's coming."

"I know I am," Vyoma spoke up, smirking as he imagined a certain event that annually happened, "I can't wait until I see my big brother, Alexei, fight against the other graduates! Him and his partner are gonna dominate!"

"Now, now, Vyoma…" Caius shook his head, "He's going against Remus. He got the badge of Three Stars at age fifteen. He's got more combat experience than most of the other graduates."

"Okay, okay, let's not start an argument." Chloe stepped in, smiling sheepishly. Really, she wanted to be humble because she happened to be Remus's weapon partner. And she knew how Vyoma and Caius could get about their older siblings.

"Yeah, single child over here." Marina deadpanned.

"You'll be fine." Vyoma and Caius replied dismissively to the girl as her features contorted with irritation.

Another approximately twenty minutes of idle chatter followed before the group reached the Bridge of Hope, a pure white stone arch bridge that stood above the steady Raksha River. Overlooking these two attractions was the Raksha Mountain Range, a quartet of short mountains that could still be seen from anywhere in Rozniak due to its lowland geography. This bridge was the sole connection between Rozniak and the Vladingham Village.

"I'M GONNA STOP THESE PRANKS OF YOURS ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

"COME AND GET IT! MAKE MY DAY!"

And it was the site of two people trying to settle a feud.

Caius, Chloe, Vyoma, and Marina all stood at the entrance to the Bridge of Hope with agape mouths and blank eyes as streams of blue fire danced wildly across the length of the bridge, brightening up the place at regular intervals. They recognized them as the distinct wavelength flames, Soul Blaze, that the Vladingham Family wielded. Immediately afterwards, they perceived two blurs continuously clashing with one another, resulting in more bursts of Soul Blaze each collision. The final clash in particular almost made the entire bridge shake to the foundation as blue smoke and flares mushroomed in the air, two peopling falling to the ground.

"Remus…Phyllis…" Chloe deadpanned when she saw that her older brother and sister were the ones fighting so violently.

"Uh… wow… This fight seems pretty serious." Marina remarked uneasily. She could practically see lightning generating between the glares of the two siblings some meters across from her group.

"I can't believe those are producing so much power without their partners." Vyoma was actually more amazed than dismayed as he watched the intense stare-down in awe.

"Sestra! Bratan!" Caius called out, jogging up to them. This allowed Phyllis and Remus to take their eyes off each other as they eyed their youngest sibling. "What are you guys doing?"

"_This_ little putz here…!" Phyllis growled vehemently as she pointed an accusing finger at a smirking Remus, "Thought it was an oh-so brilliant idea to put oil on the kitchen floor and tell me my favorite show was on! I almost split my head open!"

"You're exaggerating," Remus shook his head, "Besides, it's not my fault you're so gullible."

_"Aw, man, I wish I could've seen this prank."_ Caius thought in disappointment. He didn't say it aloud because he didn't want to suffer his oldest sister's wrath. She was the one who inherited their father's aggressive passion during a real fight.

"When are you two going to grow up?" Chloe asked in exasperation, walking over and placing her hands on her hips. Marina and Vyoma stayed behind, preferring to stay quiet and let the family talk things over.

"Maybe when Remus stops pulling practical jokes." Phyllis snarled, shooting a glare at him. To show how serious she was, her grey eyes and white sclera were replaced with translucent blue flames in flux.

Remus sneered and returned the 'gesture,' some of his gritted teeth showing at the corner of his mouth. "Then I guess your growth's stunted, sis. Besides, you're the one who overreacts each and every time. I'm just there to reap the benefits of a good laugh."

"How about we talk about something more relevant?" Chloe spoke up, hoping to prevent another explosive confrontation between her older siblings. "Did you guys finish your tasks for the Gathering Day?"

Any remaining fight left in Phyllis and Remus vanished instantly. An odd, strained sound escaped their slightly parted lips as realization dawned upon them. Their eyes shrunk as the flames in them died. The priceless expressions on their faces almost made Marina and Vyoma burst out laughing, wishing they had their cameras to document them. Their stunned silence all but gave Chloe her answer.

"Mother and Grandfather are going to kill us." Chloe said despairingly.

"Chloe, Caius, we're gonna need your help." Phyllis requested, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.

"Anything to avoid a lecture from Grandfather…" Caius said meekly, his tone dropping at the mention of their strict grandfather, Romulus Vladingham. The last time they procrastinated on an important task, they got quite the harsh earful from him, and neither of their parents were able to help them. Caius turned to Marina and Vyoma and told them, "I'm gonna have to leave you guys."

"Don't worry. We understand." Marina replied, waving off the issue.

"See ya, Caius." Vyoma said to his friend and then spoke to Remus, "And, Remus? Alexei said he'll be waiting to stomp all over you tomorrow."

Remus chuckled sarcastically, "And you tell Alexei he's got nothing on the people I had to tango with during my Three-Star Trial." Hearing accounts of other Three-Stars and their experiences during the examination, Remus appeared to have one of the most grueling ones. It did not help that his competition was extremely steep that year; special mentions went to his former classmate and good friend Roy Olmett. Never had Remus witnessed martial arts and gun-fighting mixed together so masterfully.

"Alright, alright." Vyoma left it at that. If Remus could get that violent with his own sister, he would definitely shoot the messenger if he pressed on. He smirked at Marina, "Looks like it's just you and me."

"So it seems."

This interaction did not go unnoticed by Caius, who stared at them a little while longer as his siblings started walking away. Shaking his head, Caius quickly caught up to his older brother and sisters. For a while, they didn't say anything was they continued on the snowy path beyond the Bridge of Hopes.

This silence was soon broken by Remus when they entered the trail within the Raksha Mountain Range. "Aww, was he trying to steal your chick, Caius?"

Caius tensed up as his face turned red with embarrassment. "N-no, he wasn't. Don't assume like that." He spoke calmly. However, Caius did bore a small crush on Marina. As a result, he was worried that his siblings may have found that out. The shifting of his eyes and his pout ultimately betrayed the seriousness of his words. Both Phyllis and Chloe giggled because, to them, that just seemed too adorable.

"If you say so." Remus decided not to pry.

"Better do something before Vyoma does." Phyllis said teasingly, nudging her youngest brother with her shoulder. That only served to intensify the blush on his face. It was starting to feel warmer in Caius's hood. At least it staved off the cold winter weather.

The mountain trail reached a divergence point, splitting into three different roads with a sign giving out instructions. The ones going left and right were meant for hikers and climbers, and the one going straight led to the Vladingham Village.

Caius, Phyllis, Remus, and Chloe finally reached the top of the road that overlooked at their humble community. Enclosed on all sides by the Raksha Mountain Range, there stood a village. The only break in the mountains at ground level was filled up by a lush, snowy forest that was cut off by the Raksha River beyond the trees. The Vladingham Village had a very natural appearance with trees everywhere and about half of the homes were wooden, almost like a little rustic town. Everything else combined rural and suburban: the community was small and quaint but cozy and contemporary. The most outstanding landmark of the Vladingham Village was a stone stature in the shape of a flame accompanied by a tall flagpole with the Russian flag waving proudly.

As the siblings continued their way to their home, the community was abuzz. Both Vladinghams and a few outsiders were catching up, mingling, and setting up for the Gathering Day tomorrow. Houses were being cleaned up, and decorations were being put up. To people outside of Rozniak, one could easily mistake it for a gala rather than just a gathering. Soon enough, all four of them reached their own home, a nice three-story house.

When Phyllis unlocked the door to their house and walked in, they hung up their coats, gloves, and scarves on the nearby racks and turned on the heater. Then, Chloe and Caius stared blankly at how uncouth and unorganized their house looked. The cushions and blankets of their living room sofa were out of place, it was dusty, and unneeded objects such as boxes were scattered everywhere. Then, there was in the walk-in kitchen that bordered in the living room. The dining table wasn't made up, the cabinets were open, dishes and cups were unwashed, and the trash had yet to be taken out.

"Um…wow." Phyllis and Remus immediately felt embarrassed, especially when Chloe and Caius glared dully at them.

"Alright!" Phyllis clapped her hands, perking up in order to avoid any more discussion of their negligence, "Let's get to work!"

Phyllis, Remus, Chloe, and Caius divided up their work evenly. Remus stayed inside the living room, Phyllis went to the kitchen, Caius decided to check on the bathrooms, and Chloe busied herself with the bedrooms. Remus adjusted the sofa to make it look more presentable. He also moved the lamps to more ideal positions and dusted off all glassware in the room, including the living room table, chandelier, and the television set. Phyllis worked double time in kitchen, putting all trash and unwanted objects in trash bags. She also put the dishes in the dishwater, placed silverware where they needed to be, and put up everything that was already clean.

Chloe made up all the bed in every bedroom, including the guestroom/den. Everything that could be immediately picked up and disposed of she did so, but left all else for the room's owner to handle. She also removed all personal trash bags for Phyllis to take out. Caius made sure to scrub and clean off the counters, toilets, and tubs in the two bathrooms in the house, including putting up the towels and emptying the hampers.

They took care of all that and everything in-between, such as washing laundry and freshening up the scent of home with air fresheners. When all that was done, they pulled out the vacuums and mops and addressed the other rooms that needed their services.

Finally, after about two hours' worth of working, the household was rendered spotless. The entire house smelled fresh and fragrant, all glass and metal shined with impunity, and items and other domestic accessories were placed in suitable locations. All in all, it appeared as if everything was good as new.

Remus, Chloe, Caius, and Phyllis regrouped back in the living room, all of them practically collapsing onto the sofa with a deep and heavy, collective sigh. Their limbs were slightly sore from their toils, and the soft cushions were inviting, taking away the stress of hard work and replacing it with much-needed relief. Caius had removed his glasses to rest his eyes as Chloe took her hair out of its ponytail, a sizeable portion of it hanging over the armrest and lying on the floor.

"Thanks, guys. We got our tasks done and then some." Remus said appreciatively with his head reared back against the upper padding on the backrest. Four heads were better than two, and it showed. The house looked great.

"Yeah, for real." Phyllis said with a small smile, examining the shriveled crevices of her hands – a result of washing with water so much these past two hours. "My hands look like they belong to an old bag."

"I wonder what Mom, Dam, Uncle Frederick, Aunt Katrina, and our grandparents are doing." Chloe wondered aloud, glancing at the front door. All that work to pass the time, and they were still the only ones in the house.

"I guess they're talking to people they haven't spoken to in awhile." Caius surmised.

Remus clapped his hands in realization as he shot out of his seat, "That reminds me!" He jogged into the kitchen and continued to speak, loud enough so that his brother and sisters could hear him, "Around the time we were finishing up, I decided to reward ourselves by cooking a little treat!"

Phyllis frowned sourly, speaking with an audible whine, "Remuuuuus! I just cleaned the kitchen!"

"Don't worry, I'll clean up after myself!" He retorted, "Besides, you'll be thanking me soon." The electric blue-haired meister soon reappeared into the living room. He had on mittens, carrying a tray of pastila of different flavorings and seasonings, "Tada."

Immediately, Phyllis's grey eyes widened and shimmered with delight, getting an eyeful a row of pastila that were yellow and creamy. "A-are those cream-filled pastila? The kind that I loooooove so muuuuch?" She questioned as Remus set the tray on the living room before them. Phyllis's eyes were practically glued to them.

"Yep." Remus confirmed as he took off the mittens.

"Thanks, bro!" Caius said appreciatively as he tentatively took a chocolate pastila, "You always make the best pastila!"

"Remus, I love and forgive you!" Phyllis shot out of her seat and embraced her younger brother tightly. It was a stark contrast to the hostility she showed him at the Bridge of Hope. "You're one of the greatest people on the planet! Here! A big kiss from me to you!" Phyllis planted a big, fat kiss on Remus's cheek, ignoring him squirming uncomfortably.

"GET THE HELL OFF ME, PHYLLIS!" Remus finally managed release his older sister's hold on him. He used the end of his shirt to wipe his entire face, groaning in disdain, "Lord knows where your mouth has been. Did you brush your teeth?"

"Oh, be quiet," Phyllis smirked as she grabbed one of her desired pastila and proceeded to eat it slowly, savoring the sweet treat as much as she could. Her body shivered in delight as the sugary taste exploded in her mouth. "These are the best ever~ I wish our house was made of these. When I die, bury me in a coffin made of this stuff. Make sure I die happy."

"I don't have the time nor the ingredients to do something of that magnitude…" Remus deadpanned as he munched on one.

"And that sounds… messy." Caius admitted awkwardly, imagining the stickiness of the situation with all that dough and filling.

"I don't care!" Phyllis shouted jauntily as she jumped three feet into air, clearing the living room table as she landed on the space of carpet between it and the television set. "I'm just so excited! And why wouldn't I be?!" For no reason other than the simple fact that she could do, Phyllis started dancing and prancing around the room, performing pirouettes, jumps, and spins, "I'm hanging with my favorite siblings in the world, I'm chowing down on my favorite treats, and the best day ever is tomorrow!"

"Phyllis, stop dancing before you jam your foot into the TV screen or kick down the chandelier." Chloe ordered with a sigh as she shook her head, "Again."

Because of that reminder, Phyllis froze completely as if someone put her on pause and immediately returned to her seat. "Right, right. Thanks, Chloe." Phyllis replied as she finished off her second pastila, "I blame putting my dancing moves into my combat skills."

"Speaking of combat," Chloe spoke as she glanced over to Remus, "If you expect to perform well tomorrow, we need to train some before the day's over with."

"I already got some in thanks to Phyllis." Remus replied with a lazy yawn.

"Phyllis isn't fighting tomorrow," Chloe deadpanned again, "And I'm your Weapon. You need practice with _me_."

"Alright, fine." Remus conceded as he completed his pastila. He didn't go for another. "You want to do it before or after I help Mom with the cooking?"

"Whatever works for you."

Remus stood up and requested, "If you're done, let's get some in now. Lord knows I'll want to lay around and be lazy tonight." He playfully punched Caius on his shoulder and asked him, "You wanna come with, bro? You might learn something."

Caius winced a little, "Um, no thanks." For some reason, Caius was reluctant to learn about combat more extensively. In fact, he didn't even know much about his family's trademark Soul Blaze. To be specific, all he knew was the name and what it looked like. He blamed a lack of direction and wanting to focus on normal school for now.

"Suit yourself," Remus shrugged his shoulder as he removed his coat from the rack at the door, "Be good, you two."

"If Mother and Father return, tell them what we're doing." Chloe requested as she put on her scarf and tied up her hair again. She then sent a pointed glare to her older sister, "And _don't_ take all the credit for the house." Phyllis smiled innocently as a halo appeared above her head. Apparently, she thought of the idea but scrapped it once Chloe voiced it. With that said, Remus and Chloe exited the house.

"I'll go ahead and put these up." Caius said as he picked up the tray of leftover pastila. By now, it was cool enough to carry without mittens. He made the short trek into the kitchen and began depositing the sweet snacks into the fridge after properly sealing them up.

"Caius?" Phyllis asked as she stepped into the kitchen. His response to Remus's offer did not go unnoticed by her, "You know, you're 14 now. Most Vladinghams your age are already in the Academy or are deciding to go there. You haven't even started basic training yet." While she understood that everyone had free will, the Vladingham Family was practically apart of the DWMA. Their identity was made because of the organization, and it was bordering on tradition for Vladinghams to involve themselves with the DWMA in some way, shape, or form. So, Caius's behavior was starting to worry her a little.

Caius let out a prolonged sigh as he closed the fridge and leaned against the counter, his oldest sister walking up and situating herself beside him. "I don't know, Phyllis. I just never had the motivation. I know the family, regardless of the few who decided to do something else, will always be defined by the DWMA, but I just…" Caius rubbed the back of his head, at a loss for words. He let out another sigh, unable to say anything else.

"I understand." Phyllis responded empathetically, surprising Caius. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry. I didn't go into the Academy knowing what to do with myself either. But! I did learn something valuable around the time I became a Two-Star. That's when I came up with my own personal motto." She poked him lightly in the chest, right where his soul would be, and did the same to herself, "And that's 'the family first.' Everything I do is for the good of the Vladingham Family. I'd die for this family, and as a result, I'd do anything for the Academy. That carried me all the way through my Three-Star examination trial, and I still stick to it now!"

She giggled at the mystified look that appeared on Caius's face and then proceeded to ruffle up his Air Force blue hair. "The point is, bratan, to take your time. Whether you choose to join the Academy or do something else, I'll support you because you're my little bro, and I love you." She then let a competitive grin appear on her face, "Of course, good luck beating mine or Remus's record either way." She was referring to how Remus became a Three-Star at age fifteen and herself at seventeen.

Caius laughed lightly, "Thanks, sestra."

"GOOOOD AFTERNOOOOON, MY GRACIOUS OFFSPRIIIIIIING!"

Phyllis turned to one of exits of the kitchen, hearing the door open and the wind from outside come in, "Oh! That's Dad! They're back!" She hurried out of the kitchen to greet her parents, to let them know someone was in the house, and to inform them of what Chloe and Remus were doing.

Caius, meanwhile, continued to stand there in the kitchen, ruminating on what Phyllis told him. So, she only got things done after she developed a motto, a personal philosophy, to abide by as a driving force. That was her motivation, the Vladingham Family itself. That included not only her immediate family but also those not bound by blood like Marina and Vyoma to name a few.

_"Then should I…?"_ He thought, considering adopting the same sort of motivation. It would be something until he found one for himself. To fight for the family seemed liked a noble cause. So noble that Caius was starting to feel his pride swell up and feel more confident in himself. _"Yeah! I should!"_ This is what he was missing. All of a sudden, Caius felt that he could go to the Academy and carry out its will.

"Then, it's settled." Caius whispered to himself. Tomorrow, Caius would prepare for the rest of his life. He resolved to talk to Marina, tell his parents he wanted to join the DWMA, and train with Soul Blaze seriously. The Gathering Day was an important day, and Caius would make sure it marked the beginning of the rest of his life.

However, it instead marked the beginning of the end for the Vladingham Family.


End file.
